Nataša Todorović, expert and psychologist from the Red Cross of Serbia participated in the 66th session of the NGO Commission on the Status of Women organized from 14 to 25 March 2022, and in the side event organized by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) on 24 March. The topic of the event was: Advocacy-Education-Legislation: “Tools to Address Violence Against Older Women/ Widows”

The event was chaired by Susan Somers, President of INPEA.

The panellists were experts in the field of protection of older women from violence and protection of the human rights of older women.

Nataša Todorovic, who is also the representative of the INPEA network for Europe, spoke about the recently completed research on violence against older women in the Western Balkans and two other Eastern European countries. She pointed out that this research is important, because it is one of the few researches that covers several countries and shed light on a topic about which little is known, because violence against older women is a hidden phenomenon. A small number of studies deal with it and there are a small number of prevention programs as well as appropriate services for older women survivors of violence. The research was the result of various advocacy activities from different projects where partners from different levels are connected: the Red Cross of Serbia, the European Union, UNFPA, INPEA, OSCE...

The following speakers also spoke during the session:

Dr Emem Omokaro, Executive Director of the National Aging Agency of Nigeria, spoke about her government's efforts to build awareness of violence against older women and widows and community-level education that builds sensitivity to the phenomenon of elder abuse.

Dr Pat Brownell, Fordham University and INPEA of North America, presented the strengths and challenges of the research framework for a better understanding of violence against older women (VAOW)

Ferdous Ara Begum, a former member of the CEDAW Committee, and National Representative of INPEA for Bangladesh, spoke about the efforts of communities and governments to address the problem of violence against widows in Southeast Asia.